WILLIAM Hague has called for a ceasefire in Gaza as the death toll in the latest conflict between Israel and Palestinians continued to climb.

The Foreign Secretary today spoke to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to urge an end to the violence.

He said: “I stressed the need for an immediate de-escalation and restoration of the November 2012 ceasefire, our deep concern about the number of civilian casualties and the need for all sides to avoid further civilian injuries and the loss of innocent life.

“I told Minister Lieberman that continuing rocket attacks from Gaza are completely unacceptable. Israel has a right to defend itself against such attacks, but the whole world wanted to see de-escalation.

“I welcomed President Abbas’s call for a ceasefire agreed by both sides, and urged him to do all he could to help bring this about. I offered my condolences for the loss of civilian lives in Gaza.

“It is clear that we need urgent, concerted international action to secure a ceasefire, as was the case in 2012."

Mr Hague will discuss the latest conflict with US secretary of state John Kerry, French foreign minister Laurent Fabius and Germany's minister for foreign affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Vienna tomorrow.

It is clear that we need urgent, concerted international action to secure a ceasefire

William Hague, Foreign Secretary

The Foreign Secretary's comments came as officials in Gaza today claimed that Israeli air strikes hit a home for the disabled, killing two women.

Israel's air assault is also said to have hit a mosque, as well as Hamas-affiliated charities and banks.

In response to rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, Israel's military said it has struck more than 1,100 targets, including Hamas rocket launchers, command centres and weapon manufacturing and storage facilities.

It was claimed that the central Gaza mosque was being used to conceal rockets like those militants have fired nearly 700 times toward Israel over the past five days.

The Palestinian death toll has risen to 125 from the five-day offensive, with more than 920 injured.

There have not yet been any Israeli fatalities.

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said his country should ready itself for several more days of fighting.

He said: "We have accumulated achievements as far as the price Hamas is paying and we are continuing to destroy significant targets of it and other terror organisations.

"We will continue to punish it until quiet and security returns to southern Israel and the rest of the country."

Gaza's governing party Hamas said it hoped the mosque attack would galvanise support from Arab states.

Husam Badran, a Hamas spokesman in Doha, Qatar, said: "[It] shows how barbaric this enemy is and how much it is hostile to Islam.

"This terrorism gives us the right to broaden our response to deter this occupier."

US president Barack Obama called Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier to offer to help negotiate a truce.

Mr Netanyahu said he had held “very good, positive” telephone consultations with Mr Obama and with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

But he added that “no international pressure will prevent us from acting with all power”.